Tag Archives: Snow crab price
Tentative deal reached that could see snow crab harvesters back on the water
The Fish, Food & Allied Workers union has reached a tentative deal that could see snow crab harvesters back on the water in short order. The FFAW and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) have been stuck in a stalemate for weeks over the $2.20 per pound price set by the provincial price setting panel in early April. The industry is worth about $756 million. Many harvesters have said the $2.20 price wouldn’t make for a viable season after two years that saw prices over $7 per pound and the rising cost of fuel and other supplies. However, $2.20 per pound will still be the price for the catch but will remain in place for the entire season, not just for the three-week window offered by the ASP before it sought a price reconsideration from the price setting panel. Video, >click to read< 18:27
ASP Attempts to Light Fuse to Crab Fishery
Earlier today, the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) held a press conference where they attempted to further drive a wedge between fishing fleets in order to get a crab fishery started at bottom of the barrel prices. FFAW-Unifor, the union that represents all 10,000 inshore fish harvesters as well as over 3000 onshore processing workers, continues to call for changes to the price setting structure in Newfoundland and Labrador, which currently puts all of the market risk and downturn onto harvesters and coastal communities. “The Negotiating Committee was clear that 2.20 was not a viable price to fish at. It wasn’t a viable price 2 weeks ago, on Friday, or today, and it won’t be viable tomorrow or next week,” says FFAW-Unifor President Greg Pretty. >click to read< 16:24
Snow crab price sees a bump to $3.50 after arbitration decision
On the heels of a federal government announcement in the form of a $470 million COVID-19 relief package for fish harvesters across Canada came more good news for crab fishermen in Newfoundland and Labrador. On Thursday evening FFAW-Unifor, the union representing fish harvesters in the province, announced the price setting panel sided with the union after an arbitration hearing on Wednesday over snow crab pricing. The price setting panel has now set the snow crab price to $3.50 per pound — the FFAW-Unifor minimum price — not $2.90 per pound as tabled by the Association of Seafood Producers. >click to read< 20:59
